Shoe machine



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Oct. 3, 1944. A, R MoRRlLL 2,359,729

SHOE MACHINE Original Fild Nov. 4, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 3, 1944.A. R. MOIRRILL,

SHOE MACHINE iled Nov. 4,1940 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Origina 1944- A.-R. MORRILL Y 2,359,729

SHOE MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 4, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 3, 194-4.MORRILL I 2,359,729

SHOE MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 4, 1940 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 NW 1W (I Oct.3, 1944. R M RR 2,359,729

' SHOE MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 4, 1940 7'Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 3,1944. A. MORRILL SHOE MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 4, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet6 Oct.- 3, 1944.

A. R. MORRILL SHOE MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 4. 1940 7 slgeets-sheet 7Patented Oct. 3, 1944 UNITED STATES TENT OFFlCE SHOE MACHINE Originalapplication November 4, 1940, Serial No.

364,223. Divided and this application December 3, 1942, Serial No.467,701

8 Claims.

.The present invention relates to shoe machines, and more particularlyto a machine of the general type having means for attaching the upper tothe insole of a shoe supported on a last, and a lasting mechanismarranged to tension successive portions of the upper for the operationof the attaching means.

The invention is herein disclosed as embodied in an automatic machinefor sewing the welt and upper to the insole of a welted shoe, and is ofthe general type in which the shoe is supported upon a jack, and inwhich the jack and the means for operating on the shoe aremovedrelatively to transfer the point of operation about the shoe, and tochange the relative positions adaptable for use with an automatic shoemachine of the type referred to, certain features of the invention arealso capable of use in other types of automatic machines, or in machinesin which the shoe is held in position by the operator. It is also to .beunderstood that except as defined in the claims, the several features ofthe invention are not limited to any particular construction andarrangement of parts.

The present application is a, division of appli cation Serial No.364,223, filed November 4, 1940, to which reference may be had forconstructions indicated in the drawings, or 'herein referred to withoutbeing specifically described.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide in a machine forattaching the upper to the insole of a shoe supported on a last, a noveland improved lasting gripper which is simple and compact and is welladapted to cooperate in a most efficient manner with the severalcooperating instrumentalities of the machine to position successiveportions of the upper for the operashoe to the operating devices and totransfer the point of operation about the shoe.

In accordance with the present invention, applicant provides a sidelasting gripper mechanism which comprises a pair of grippers pivotedtogether, and vertically movable in a bracket pivotally supported aboveand rearwardly of the sewing point for movement into and out ofoperative position. The outer gripper member is rigidly formed on thelower end of a slide carried in guideways in the bracket. A pair ofslots arranged at an angle to one another in the slide extension of theouter gripper and in an upward extension of the inner gripper arearranged to receive an actuating pin which is reciprocated 'verticallytoactuate the grippers. A friction device acting on the slide extension ofthe outer gripper member causes the grippers to be opened as they aremoved downwardly during the movement of the actuating pin, and to beclosed as 'they are then moved-upwardly to draw in the engaged portionof the upper during the upward movement of the actuating pin. Thedriving connections for the actuating pin include a short link connectedto an actuating lever which is pivoted .co-axially with the supportingbracket, and at its rear end is arranged to be engaged by a drivingroller carried on a constantly oscillating cam lever. A spring acting onthe actuating lever tends to force the gripper assembly downwardly, andto maintain an engaging contact of the actuatin lever with its drivingroller.

In order that the gripper actuating connections may be renderedinoperative, applicant provides connections from a cam on the patterncam shaft of the machine for rocking the pivot shaft on which thegripper actuating lever and the gripper supporting bracket are carried,between operative and inoperative positions. A rocking movement of theshaft to inoperative position causes the shouldered portion of the shaftto engage a pair of lugs on the 'hub of the gripper actuating lever tomove the same positively upwardly against the pressure of its spring andout of engagement with its driving roller. This movement of .the gripperactuating lever is effective through a pin and slot connection with thebracket to swing the [bracket and. gripper mechanism mounted thereonaway from the'work. Rocking movement of the pivot shaft to itsoperatingposition causes a lug on the shaft toengage an abutment on the hub ofthe bracket to move the same positively downwardly to its operatingposition against an abutment on the ma.-

chine frame.

The several features of the invention consist also in the devices,combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described andclaimed, which together with the advantages to be obtained thereby willbe readily understood by one skilled in the art from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a View in right side elevation of an automatic welt shoesewing machine illustrating in a preferred form thesubstantially thepart shown in Fig, 2, but with a portion of the casing broken away andthe lasting gripper removed to illustrate the underlying parts includingparticularly the supporting and actuating devices for the lastinggripper; Fig. 4 is a detail view in front elevation, partly in section,showing particularly the stitch forming and work gripping devices andthe lasting gripper in relation thereto; Fig. 5 is a detail sectionalview in front elevation taken on the line 55 of Fig. 8; Fig. 6 is adetail sectional view taken on the line B6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detailview in right side elevation, partly in section, of the lasting grippermechanism in which the grippers are at the limit of their upwardmovement during active operation, having been opened, and are startingdown; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but with the grippers at thelimit of their downward movement, with the jaws still open; Fig. 9 is afragmentary detail view in right side elevation illustratingparticularly the gripper supporting bracket and supporting shaft, withthe gripper mechanism in operating position; Fig. 10 is a view of theripper mechanism with the grippers in their extreme down position withthe grippersclosed and about to start their upward movement; Fig. 11 isa View of the gripper mechanism with the grippers at the limit of theirupward movement with the grippers still in gripping position; Fig. 12shows the stop position of the gripper mechanism in which the supportingbracket for the grippers has been shifted upwardlyto stop position; Fig.13 shows the gripper in starting position; andFig. 14 is a fragmentarysectional plan view taken on the line Ill-I4 of Fig. 1.

, The machine illustrated in the drawings as embodying in a preferredform the several features of the present invention is-an automaticmachine for sewing the welt and upper to the insole of a welted shoe,and is comparable with the disclosures of the prior patents to MorrillNos. 2,162,026 and 2,155,438, in that certain of the instrumentalitiesillustrated perform equivalent functions, such instrumentalitiesincluding a sewing head capable of sewing the inseam of a welted shoe, ashoe supporting jack, pattern control mechanism for imparting turning,tipping and feeding movements to the jack and shoe supported thereon totransfer the point of operation about the margin of the shoe sole,together with mechanism operative in jacking the shoe to adjust thepattern mechanism in accordance with the size of the shoebeing operatedupon, and driving and stopping mechanism arranged to operateautomatically at the completion of the sewing operation to release andto move the jacked shoe away from the sewing mechanism,

, margin of the jacked shoe.

and to return the several operating mechanisms including the jack andthe pattern devices associated therewith to a convenient startingposition preparatory for the removal of the completed shoe and thejacking of a new shoe in the machine.

The casing or frame of the illustrated machine is built up of severalsections including a floor section 20 housing principally the oil sumpand various foot treadle controls, a middle section 22 housingprincipally the jack supporting mech- 'anism and the pattern mechanismof the machine, a head section 24 housing therein the welt sewingmechanism and the driving and stopping mechanisms of the machine, and atop section 26 supporting thereon the driving motor 28, reductiondriving gears therefrom, and a distributing reservoir forming part ofthe oiling system for the machine.

In applicants improved machine, the drive is taken from the motor 28directly downwardly through the head section 24 to the stop motion andto the sewing cam shaft housed therein, and thence downwardly into themiddle section 22 housing the pattern mechanism of th machine. Asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the armature 30 of the motor isconnected through reduction gears 32, 34 to drive a vertically arrangedmain drive shaft 36 which is in turn connected by means of gears 38, 40to drive an externally coned clutch member 42 forming the drivingelement of the main driving clutch for the machine.

The member 42 is loosely supported to turn on a vertical drive shaft 44,and is arranged to be engaged by a driven clutch member 46 keyed to andaxially shiftable upon the shaft 44. The drive for the sewing cam shaft50 of the machine is taken from the driven clutch member 46 through agear formed on the external periphery of the member 46 which meshes witha gear 48 on the sewing cam shaft 50. The drive for the pattern camshaft of the machine designated at l34'is taken from the driven clutchmember 46 through the shaft 44 and operating connections which areindicated very generally in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Further descriptionof the driving connections of the machine is omitted, since thismechanism specifically forms no part of the present invention.

A shoe sewing jack 54 is provided which may be of well knownconstruction as that, for example, illustratedin the patent to Cross No.2,056,714, dated October 6, 1936. The jack is carried on a spindle 56supported at its lower end in a gimbal'bearing 58 formed on the forwardend of a horizontally disposed arm support 60 forming part of a systemof supporting levers on which the jack is arranged for feeding, turningand tipping movements to present the shoe properly 'to the stitchforming devices and to transfer the point of operation about the soleThe several operating movements of the jack including the usual feeding,turning and pitch and roll tipping movements are controlled by means ofcam levers and cams on the pattern cam shaft I 34. However, since thesemechanisms form specifically no part of the present invention, furtherdescription thereof is believed not necessary.

The shoe operating devices of the illustrated machine comprises achainstitch inseam sewing mechanism adapted for'sewing the upper andwelt to the insole of a welt shoe while supported on a last. Thismechanism, mounted in the sewing head to be driven from the sewing camshaft 50, comprises a curved hook needle 64, a looper 66, a threadfinger 68, a take-up (not specifically illustrated), a welt guide I0,and a. channel guide I2. The specific form of the sewing mechanism shownis illustrated in greater detail in applicants copending applicationSerial No. 364,223, of which the present application is a division. Afull disclosure of an inseam sewing mechanism of this general type inthe prior art is found in applicants prior Patent No. 2,155,438, datedApril 25, 1939.

In accordance with the present invention, applicant provides a novel andimproved side lasting mechanism which is arranged to engage with andposition successive portions of the upper for the operation of thesewing mechanism, thus combining the side lasting operation with thesewing operation, and rendering the separate lasting operation on theshoe unnecessary. The lasting gripper mechanism, as best shown in Figs.2, 3, and to 13 inclusive, comprises a smoothfaced gripper member '18which is arranged to extend'downwardly between the upper and the insolesupported on the last, and a cooperating rough surfaced gripper member88 which is arranged to bite against the outer surface of the upper. Thegripper member I8 is formed on the lower end of a slide member 82carried in guideways 84 in a T-shaped supporting bracket 86. The slidemember 82 is provided at its upper end with a rod extension I9 whichpasses through a journal formed in the upper end of the bracket 86, andhas check nuts SI threaded thereon for limiting the downward movement ofthe slide member 82 and gripper member I8 in the bracket 86. A frictionshoe 92 is held in frictional engagement with the rod I9 by means of anadjustably supported compression spring 94, and provides a frictionalresistance to the upward or downward movement of the gripper member 18.The gripper member 80 is pivotally connected to the gripper 18 by apivot pin 96 carried on the lower end of the slide member 82, and isprovided with an upward extension 98 having formed therein a slot I00which extends diagonally in a diverse angle with relation to a similarbut vertically arranged slot I02 in the slide member 82. With thisconstruction and arrangement of the gripper mechanism, a singleactuating mechanism only is required for raising and lowering, and foropening and closing the grippers. This operating connection comprises apin I04 which extends through the slots I00, I02, and is supported onthe lower end of a link I06 pivotally connected with the forward end ofa gripper actuating lever I83. The gripper lever I08 is pivotallysupported to turn on a transversely extending rock shaft H0 which alsoprovides support for the T-shaped bracket 86. A rearward extension ofthe gripper actuating lever I08 is provided with a bearing surface I I2for engagement with a roller I I4 carried on the forwardly extending armof the continuously oscillated lasting gripper cam lever I [5. A tensionspring II6 connected between a downward extension of the gripperactuating lever I08 and an adjustable support on the frame tends tomaintain the surface W2 in engagement with its actuating roller II4, theparts being so arranged as to provide a yielding downward and positiveup-draw movement of the gripper mechanism. With this construction andarrangement of the arts, it will readily be seen that downward movementof the actuating lever I08 will act first to open the grippers i(seeFig.8) and thereafter to move the gripper assembly includingthe slidemember 82 downwardly against the friction. provided by the frictionshoe92 tothe position shown in Fig. 8. Subsequent up-draw movement ofthe lever I08 will first act to closethegrippers as .the pin I04 ridesupwardly in the slots I00, I02, ,as shown in Fig. 10, and willthereafter raise the grippers which are held in gripping position undera pressure determined by the friction exerted by the friction shoe 92,the limit of the up-draw position being shown in Fig. '11.

Applicants improved construction embodies therein means for moving thegripper assembly into and out of active operation. To this end there ismounted on the left hand end of the rock shaft IIO, a lever arm II8 (seeFig. 3) which is connected by a link I20 with one arm of a bellcranklever I22 supported to turn on a fixed pivot I24 (see Figs. 1 and 14) Adownwardly extending arm of the bell-crank I22 is connected by a linkI26 with a pattern cam lever I28 supported on the pivot shaft I29 andhaving a cam roller I arranged for engagement with a cooperating patterncam I32 on the pattern cam shaft I34.

This cam corresponds with the usual Baltimore cam of these machines. Forthe operatingposition of the gripper, the rock shaft H0 and lever I I8will have been rocked upwardly in a counterclockwise direction to theposition shown, for example, in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. In this position ofthe parts, a lug I36 (see Figs. 3 and 9) carried on a collar I38 securedto the rock shaft .0 engages with a recessed shoulder I40 on thehubportion of the 'bracket 86, looking the bracket inits downward positionin which the downward extension thereof is in engagement with a portionof the machine frame. A clockwise rocking movement of the rock shaft H0and lever arm IIB causes a pair of recessed shoulders I42 formed in therock shaft H0 to engage with a pair of lugs I44 on the hub portion ofthe gripper actuating lever I08, rocking the actuating lever I08 in aclockwise direction, upwardly against the pressure of its spring I I6 toraise the grippers away from the work. Continued upward movement of thelever arm I08 causes a pin I46 supported on the actuating lever I08 andarranged to ride in an arcuate slot I48 in the bracket 86 to engageagainst the upper end of the slot and topositivelymove the bracketupwardly and rearwardly about its piv otal connection with the rockshaft I I0. In this, inoperative position shown in Fig. 12, the engagingsurface II2 of the actuating lever I08 will, be entirely out ofengagement with the oscillating roller II4 carried on the gripper camlever I I5. The rocking movement thus imparted to the bracket 86 servesalso to move the gripper members I8, 80 upwardly and forwardly to aninoperative position in which the grippers will not interfere with theoperations on the shoe including the removal of the finished shoe andjacking of a new shoe in operating position. Fig. 13 shows the machinestarting position of the driven mechanism in which the lever arm I I8and with it the rock shaft IIO has been moved a slight distance in acounterclockwise direction permitting the gripper actuating lever I08 tomove downwardly under the influence of its spring II6 sufiiciently toopen the grippers preparatory to the starting of their downwardmovement.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefrom,without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 7 vp,

- 'What is claimed is:

1. In a shoe sewing and lasting machine, sewing mechanism including aneedle, a lasting gripper comprising a pair of pivoted jaws, a pivotallymounted bracket providing a slide support for said jaws, an actuatinglever for said gripper arranged to turn on the axis with the bracket, apin and slot connection permitting a limited relative movement of thelever and bracket, a limiting support against which the bracket isengaged during operation of the gripper, means for oscillating saidlever for causing the gripper to tension successive portions of an upperover a last,

means acting when rendered operative to move said lever to a highinoperative position, and by means of the pin and slot connection toraise said bracket away from the work, and means operative in startingsaid gripper for positively moving the bracket against its limitingsupport toward the work in starting the machine.

2. In a lasting machine, the combination of fastening means, a gripper,a bracket providing a slide support for the gripper, a support againstwhich the bracket is engaged during operation of the gripper, a rockshaft providing pivotal support for the bracket, an actuating lever forthe gripper pivoted on the rock shaft, actuating means for thelever'arranged to impart a positive updraw and a yielding downwardmovement to the lever and gripper, means for limiting the relativeangular movement of the lever and bracket, means for rocking the shaftbetween operative and inoperative positions, an element on the rockshaft rendered operative by movement of the same to inoperative positionto positively raise the actuating lever andbracket away from the work,and by movement to operative position to release said lever, and asecond element on said shaft rendered operative by movement of the shaftto operative position to positively hold the bracket against its supporttoward the work.

3. In a lasting machine, the combination of fastening means, a grippercomprising a pair of jaws pivoted to one another, a bracket providing aslide support for the gripper, a support on which the bracket is movablebetween an operative position toward the work and an inoperativeposition away from the work, actuating means for the gripper comprisingan actuating lever arranged to impart updraw and downward movements tothe gripper, and a friction device on the bracket arranged to act onsaid gripper to open the jaws during the downward movement thereof, andto close the jaws during the updraw movement thereof, actuatingconnections for the lever arranged for imparting a positive updraw and ayielding downward movement thereto, and control means for rendering thegripper operative and inoperative comprising connections shiftable inone direction to move the actuating lever and bracket to a raisedinoperative position, and shiftable in another direction to release thelever and to positively hold the bracket in its operating positiontoward the work.

4. In a lasting machine, the combination of fastening means, a grippercomprising a pair of jaws pivoted to one another, a bracket in which thegripper is supported to slide, actuating means for the grippercomprising a pair of slots angled from one another in the gripper jaws,an actuating pin engaging in both slots, an oscillatory actuating leverconnected with the pin, a friction device acting one one of said gripperjaws whereby a downward movement of the actuating lever and pin iseffective to open the' jaws, and an updraw movement is effective toclose the jaws, a rock shaft rotatable between operative and inoperativepositions and on which the actuating lever and bracket are supported toturn, means for imparting a positive updraw movement to the actuatinglever and gripper and a yielding downward movement thereto, means forrocking the shaft to inoperative position, and an element on the shaftrendered operative by movement of the rock shaft to inoperative positionto engage with and to positively lift the actuating lever and bracketaway from the work.

5. In a lasting machine, the combination of fastening means, a grippercomprising a pair of jaws pivoted toone another, a pivotally supportedbracket in which the gripper is supported to slide, a limitingsupportagainst which the bracket is engaged during the operation of thegripper, actuating means for the gripper comprising a pair of slotsangled from one another in the gripper jaws, an actuating pin'engagingin both slots, an oscillatory actuating lev'er connected with the pin, afriction device acting on one of said gripper jaws whereby the downwardmovement of the actuating lever and pin is effective to open the jaws,and an updraw movement is effective to close the jaws, a rock shaftrotatable between operative and inoperative positions and on which saidactuating lever and bracket are supported to turn, means for imparting apositive updraw movement to the, actuating lever and gripper and ayielding downward movement thereto, an element on the shaft renderedoperative by movement of the rock shaft to inoperative position toengage with and to positively lift the actuating lever and bracket awayfrom the work, and an element on the shaft rendered operative bymovement of the shaft to operative position to positively hold thebracket in operative position against its limiting support.

6. In a lasting machine, the combination r with fastening means, of alasting gripper comprising a pair of pivoted jaws, a pivotally mountedbracket providing a sliding sup-port for the gripper, a support againstwhich the bracket rests in operating position, an actuating lever forthe gripper mounted to turn on the axis with the bracket, means forimparting a positive updraw movement to the actuating lever and gripperand a yielding downward movement thereto, a pin and slot connection forlimiting relative angular movement of the lever and bracket, and meansacting when rendered operative for moving the actuating lever andbracket therewith positively to a raised inopera tive position.

'7. In a lasting and sewing machine, the combination of sewing andlasting instrumentalities including a needle, a gripper, a bracket inwhich the gripper is slidably supported for successive updraw anddownward movements to tension successive portions of the upper, alimiting support against which the bracket is engaged during operationof the gripper, an actuating lever for the gripper, means for impartingpositive updraw and yielding downward movements to the lever, a rockshaft on which the bracket and lever are supported to turn, a connectionrendered operative by rocking of said shaft for (positively moving theactuating lever and bracket therewith to a raised inoperative position,a shoe supporting jack, supporting and actuating means for the jackincluding a pattern mechanism arranged for presenting a shoe to thesewing and lasting instrumentalities and to transfer the point ofoperation along the shoe, and means controlled from said patternmechanism including a cam and connections therefrom for controlling theangular position of the rock shaft to render said lastinginstrumentalities operative and inoperative in timed relation to themovement of the jack.

8. In a shoe sewing and lasting machine, sewing mechanism including aneedle, a lasting gripper comprising a pair of pivoted jaws, a pivotallymounted bracket providing a slide support for said jaws, an actuatinglever for said gripper arranged to turn on the axis with the bracket, alost motion connection permitting a limited relative movement of thelever and bracket, a limiting support against which the bracket isengaged during operation of the gripper, means for oscillating saidlever for causing the gripper to tension successive portions of an upperover a last, and means acting when rendered operative to move said leverto a high inoperative position, and by means of said lost motionconnection to raise said bracket away from the Work.

ALFRED R. MORRILL.

